Nigeria wants Africa’s biggest FTA system

Nigeria’s Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, says the country is building what will be Africa’s biggest “and most lucrative” free-to-air TV platform.

“With over 24 million TV households, and being the capital of African creativity in Music and Film, I am now more than convinced that we will also become the capital of Television in Africa within the next few years,” the Minister said at the launch of DTT in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria.

He explained that there would be considerable benefits to the nation, and to cellular phone companies, advertisers, electronics manufacturers as well as its ‘Nollywood’ film and TV output.

The Minister promised something of a revolution in broadcasting for Nigerians saying that digital television, combined with addressable set-top boxes, would enable content producers to be paid for their creativity.

“To Nollywood, your movies can now be sold directly to all homes in Nigeria without the need of a VCD, DVD or even the Internet, using the [digital] platform to market and sell films,” Mohammed said.